Waltbe h



(No Model.)

W. H. KNIGHT.

ELEOTRIG RAILWAY.

Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

WITNESSES A Horn 6%) N. PETERS, Pnowulho m nur. Washington, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VALIER H. KNIGHT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,080, dated March16, 1885.

Application filed Jnly]0,1885. Serial No. 171,186. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W ALTER H. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, N. Y., have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Rail ways, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention consists in certain devices by means of which an electriclocomotive may be turned from a main lineinto either one of twobranches.

The invention pertains to that class of electric railways in which oneor both of the main conductors are inclosed in a slotted conduit.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 rep resents a plan of a road atthe point of branching; and Fig. 2 representsasection ofthe roadway,taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, A B are the two main conductors, and are shown in dottedlines, as they are supposed to be inclosed in the conduitiu the usualmanner, the slot of the conduit being represented by S. A B are thecorresponding main conductors in one branch, and A B" are thecorresponding main conductors in the other branch. At the meeting-pointof the conductors B and A is pivoted a conductor switching-point G. Thisconductor-point is electrically independent of any of the mainconductors; but it is adapted to be turned in one direction or theother, so as to form a continuation of either of the branch conductors Band A", and leading from said branch conductor to its corresponding mainconductor. In Fig. 1 this point is shown turned to the position whereitforms a continuation of A and leads to the corresponding main conductorA. Two conductors are adapted to extend through the slot of the conduitand terminate in two contact shoes or brushes which rest against thepositive and negative conductors,respectively. A device of thischaracter is well known, one such being shown in a patent granted to meSeptember 23, 1884, and numbered 305,731. In Fig. 1 these twocontact-shoes are represented by m m, and the two conductors extendingthrough the slot and protected by a plow, as describedin my said patent,are shown in section. As this contact device moves in the direction ofthe arrow 70, it will be seen that the two contact-shoes will be guidedby the conductor switch-point Oalong the branch conductors A B", and theplow will be pressed over so as to follow the contact-shoes, and willenter the slot of the corresponding branch. By means of this arrangementI am enabled to do away with any switching-point upon the slot, relyingentirely for guidance of the contact device upon the conductorswitching-point C. In order that this conductor-point may be readilyturned from one side to the other, I make a connection between it andthe trackswitching point 0, so that they may be moved simultaneously,and the plow never be turned into one branch while the vehicle is turnedonto the other branch, as might occur if the two points were notconnected together.

The arrangement for moving the points is shown in Fig. 2. A and B arethe main conductors supported from the side walls of the conduit in themanner described in my said patent. G is the switching-point, F beingthe supporting insulating-block, andf and f being the two conductingparts of the point. M is a bar connecting the two points. It isbent downso as to not interfere with the contactshoes in their passage from themaininto either branch conduit. N is a connecting-rod pivoted to M atone end, and at the other end pivoted to lever L. This lever L ispivoted at the point P, and is adapted to be turned from one side to theother, and thereby throw the two points into the desired position.

The points and the lever are shown in Fig. 2 in their middle position.In Fig. 1 they are shown thrown to one side, so as to direct the vehicleand the plow into the lower branch. \Vhen in its extreme position,thelever L lies horizontally and flush with the surface of the roadway.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination,in an electric railway, of a branching slotted conduit having the edgesof the slot fixed at the branching-point, an electric conductor in themain and in each branch conduit, a contact device extending into theconduit and adapted to move along said conductors, and a movableconductor-section in said conduit at the branching-point for guidingsaid contact device.

2. The combination, in an electric railway,of a branching slottedconduithaving the edges of the slot fixed at the branching-point, anelectric conductor in the main and in each branch conduit, a contactdevice extending into the conduit and adapted to slide along saidconductors, a movable conductor-section at the branchingpoint forguiding said contact device, and means for actuating said section fromwithout the conduit.

3. The combination, in an electric railway,

of a branching slotted conduit having the edges of the slot fixed at thebranching-point, an electric conductor in the main and in each branchconduit, a contact device extending into the conduit and adapted toslide along said conductors, a movable conductor-section at thebranching-point, a movable switching trackrail, and connection betweensaidtrack-rail and said conductor-section whereby they may be movedtogether.

4. The combination, in a branching electric railway, of two conductorson the main and on each branch railway, and a single movable 2oconductor-section at the point of branching. 5. .The combination, in anelectric railway,

of a main and branch track, an electric con-- doctor in the main and ineach branch, and a;

movable conductor-section at the place of 25 branching pivoted at the.branches.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 30th day of June, 1885.

WALTER H; KNIGHT.

point between the WVitnesses: v

G. RENAULT, HERBERT KNIGHT.

